Dominique Mayho and Che’quan Richardson struggled in the stifling heat in Barbados during the Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships this weekend.

In temperatures that reached the hundreds, the Bermuda pair, along with a host of other cyclists, failed to finish yesterday’s road race.

Of the 75 starters, only 12 reached the finish line in conditions that Peter Dunne, the Bermuda Bicycle Association president, called brutal.

Even with the distance reduced to 81 miles from 110 the challenging nine-mile lap course, which included a long, steep climb, took its toll. It did not help that the start time was moved to 11.30am.

“It was so hot that riders were taking on 32oz of water every lap, and losing it all just as quickly,” Dunne said.

Mayho was first to go after a mid-race collision left him with a broken spoke, and despite getting a replacement wheel, he was left trailing the peloton and was pulled off the course.

Richardson, meanwhile, had a performance that Dunne termed “exceptional”, and he managed to stick with a group for seven laps before organisers pulled him from the race.

“Che’quan had a great performance at this event and it should give him a huge boost of confidence in his cycling,” Dunne said. “To be able to hang in for as long as he did on this course, and against this field, showed that he has made significant strides in his fitness and mental toughness.

“As his 2015 road season comes to a conclusion I am hoping that the ride will inspire Che’quan to raise his preparation even further.”

The extreme heat also took its toll on Mayho on Saturday during the men’s individual time trial, as did the traffic, which caused all the riders problems. Mayho eventually finished twelfth on the 38-kilometre course.